Who rides?

I guess now's a good time to explain the profile image that I put up a couple weeks ago. It's my 51th birthday present to myself (a real pic is below)- not that I did anything to deserve such a nice present. Had to share it with the gang.

The last couple times I've visited my little brother and his family down-state, we've done a little motorcycle riding along with a buddy of ours. I got a chance to ride my brother's Ducati 620 Monster, an awesome bike. Before long, they convinced me to start looking around for a bike, and my brother found this yellow '99 Ducati 900 SuperSport on Craigslist about 5 miles from my house and encouraged me to pursue it. With <800 miles on the odometer (for a '99!), never crashed or dropped, looked like brand new, not even a scratch on it, and a decent price, I bought it. I'm enjoying re-discovering the pleasures and perils of motorcycle riding on public roads. As I learned a long time ago when I used to ride, paranoia is a plus- all auto-drivers are out to get ya! But it's a blast.

I know there must be at least a couple other cycle riders on our list. How 'bout it?

Bryan

[longislandhunter]

Back in the 70's, gosh that was a long time ago, I used to ride.  I was living in Florida and it was my only vehicular transportation.  God I loved it !!  My  friends and I used to get together almost every weekend and ride down to Key West where we'd spend the weekend partying and just having a good time.  Also used to love to take late night rides along the coast and around Miami.  Ah, to be young again.......

I haven't been on one since then.  I've been tempted over the years, but I have some major back problems and it would be foolish for me to take the risk.  I wish  I could get back into it though  

Your bike is beautiful,,,, must be a blast to ride ..

Jeff

[r1derbike]

I'll bite.  Riding 30+ years.  Be sure to check the "Dragging Hard Parts" sub album.  This is what happens every time I ride my FJR1300.  I drag everything on that bike! Peg feelers to nubs, mufflers, side stand, exhaust header and more.

http://smg.photobucket.com/albums/v402/r1derbike/Motorcycling/

I come from a high-performance sportbike background.  Rode 20+ years on high-perf motorcycles.

My present rides are the Yamaha FJR 1300 and Yamaha YZF-R1, as you will see, in link above.

Charles

[daved]

I've had bikes off and on over the years.  Last one I had that I really loved was a '71 chopped 750 Honda.  Save the Honda bashing, it was a great bike, and you know what?  It started every time I kicked it over.  I currently have a 750 Yamaha Virago sitting out back of my shop, not running.  When I moved here (Damn! 8 years ago?!), I made the mistake of leaving it with one of my sisters, with the understanding that she would learn to ride it and keep it parked in her garage.  What happened is that it spent 6 years parked under a laurel hedge.  Needless to say, it doesn't run, and it's kind of messed up.  And no time to do much with it.  Hopefully, it'll be one of my winter projects, and it'll be ready to hit the road next spring.  I miss having a bike, but you're right, paranoia is the only way to stay alive.  And just to make it even more interesting, where I live, other drivers aren't the main hazard, it's mule deer!  A guy was killed when one jumped in front of him here just a couple of years back.  And on that pleasant note, good night :-)!  Sweet bike, by the way.  I've always liked Ducati's, but way beyond anything I could ever afford.

Dave

[SDale]

I do! I've been riding for just about 20 years now.

Still have an 02 Gixxer 1000, an older '95 RM 250 and my newest addition is an '07 Yamaha Warrior Midnight. ALL of em get equal use!

Jeff, the late '70s was when I moved from NC to FL and first got a bike, a sorta-kinda cafe style  Yamaha XS-400, to ride around the central Florida countryside and orange groves with some of the fellers from work, and it was MY only transportation for a couple months when my car broke-- I even rode it up from Winterhaven FL to NC and back one time (boy, was I sore). And I rode a good bit after I moved back home to western NC with my brother and some others in the area. Had a bit of a mishap in '83 and ended up with a broken wrist, but recovered and rode a little more after that

I mostly stopped riding about 1985 and hadn't been on one seriously since- certainly never expected to own anything as big or as nice as a Ducati 900, considering my biggest bike was the 400. But this one is only ~40# heavier than my old one, and as I mentioned, it was an unusually good deal, plus my brother pushed me into it (of course, I can't tell Mom on him- I haven't let her know about it yet, so if any of you see her, mum's the word  ;~).

And I did think long and hard as to whether I could justify riding a bike at this point, but my aim is no longer to get from point A to point B as quick as possible. It's to get from point A to point B and be able to tell the story.

Bryan

Very nice bikes, Charles! Your profile image is what inspired me to look for an appropriate one for my Yeller Duck (as my brother calls it).

I  occasionally did little bit of dragging bits and pieces on my old bike, but it was usually not on purpose, and quickly followed by bite-marks on the seat cushion-- LOL!

Bryan

Dave, you bring up a good point. The whitetail deer population around here has really exploded between when I used to ride 20 years ago and now. In fact, on the way out of my brother's driveway, I was following our riding buddy out to the highway in my car, and just as he headed down a hill on his RD350, a deer ran across the road right behind him and ~50' in front of me. That was a close one, even at only 30mph. So vigilance and paranoia are key to keeping safe, but no guarantee.

And there ain't nothin' wrong with Hondas. My older cousin also had a chopped ~1971-72 CB-750 that his Mom (my aunt) sewed a fake leopard (or it might have been tiger) skin seat cover for- I always thought that was cool.

Bottom line- enjoy, but let's all be safe out there! Hmmm, same as in airgunning ;~)

Bryan

I WANT TO AGAIN !!

Have been off my bikes for a year unfortunately (due to probs with dem old joints & bones !)

Just hoping for some level of recovery so i can get back on em.

Not such a Deer problem here in Uk but the main thing i see spoiling Biker's fun these days is the Damn Police with their speed check guns !!

I know yr limits Stateside lower than ours, but consider also that in many "country" areas they are putting 30MPH limits on stretches of road WITH NO PEDESTRIANS/ KIDS / OLD GRANNIES WANDERIN ABOUT - tis really takin the edge off !! And what for ? Beats me !!

I come from a stable of old Brit Iron (BSA, AJS, Norton Commando), then Jap Battleships, but developed a passion for Guzzi's over the years - currently "looking at" a Suzuki GSX1400, Guzzi Centauro, Guzzi California & Triumph Trident "92" sitting idle around my place - Bah !!

Ride Safe All !

Stu

[plateshooter]

I've been riding since I got out of the Army in 1971.  My current bike is a 2004 Suzuki Limited Edition Volusia.  I love that bike.  I will be 60 soon, and hope to get another 10 years of riding in before I hang it up.  Maybe catch you guys on the road sometime eh?